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Key Club, National Honors Society, Optimist Club and Rho Kappa at Strongsville High School have working hard to give by to the community this holiday season. The clubs held many drives and fundraiser in order to give to those who need it most this year. Overall the combined clubs donated to five organizations.

Key Club requested donations of sugar free candy, toothbrushes and personal-sized toiletries from Nov. 7 through Nov 14 in honor of Veterans Day. Almost two full boxes of donations were given to the Louis Stokes VA Medical Center. The Center gives care and resources to over 110,00 veterans each year.Key Club members were able to earn service hours by donating or helping at the collection table. Key Club Junior Class Director, Julia Estephan, says that Key Club’s goal is that, “Members experience the opportunity to make a difference in other people’s lives by providing those who have served our country with basic necessities to improve their standards of living.”National Honors Society (NHS) held a coat drive and a hygiene drive from Nov. 28 through Dec. 9. Used coats, paper towels, laundry detergent and $5.00 Target and Walmart gift cards were requested as donations. The 30 coats collected were donated to the organization We Care, a Strongsville-based charity that delivers necessities to those living in poverty in rural West Virginia. The 15-20 rolls of paper towels and $20.00 in gift cards were donated to Boys Hope Girls Hope, an organization that helps provide for underprivileged youth in Northeast Ohio.​NHS President, Cassidy Brengartner explained, “This year in NHS, we are trying to focus on the importance of giving back. We have moved away from the incentive of service hours for drives, but anyone who donates will feel satisfied that they are giving back and helping others.”Another Strongsville High School club giving back was Rho Kappa. On Dec. 1 members made holiday cards for military members. These were donated to an organization called A Million Thanks that sent out the letters to not only active military members, but reserve and veteran servicemen and women as well. Optimist Club also organized a drive from Dec 12 through Dec 16 asking for hats, scarves, gloves and hand warmers. The almost 300 donations were sent to Effective Leadership Academy (ELA) that then passed the donations out to those in need in Downtown Cleveland. ELA is a program helps prepare youth for a successful future though camps, clubs and other opportunities. While these drives have not been established as annual, members want to continue in the years to come. It is ultimately up to the underclassmen to continue the tradition of giving back.